December 2008 Daimler Sustainability Newsletter +++ Virtual climate conference +++ 230 natural gas trucks for California +++ car2go +++ myCOMAND infotainment system +++ e-mobility +++ +++ Electric drive research cooperation +++ Cooperation with Kamaz +++ Day of Caring +++ Corporate Health Award +++ Sustainability management Contents Environment: » 2 The first Daimler Daimler supports virtual climate conference Innovation: » 4 Sustainability Dialogue Electric drive research cooperation Markets: » 5 Daimler maintains dialogue with its stakeholders throughout the world. With the Daimler acquires 10 per cent of Kamaz “Daimler Sustainability Dialogue” in early November, the Group has further intensified and now also institutionalized this process. Health management: » 6 Corporate Health Award bestowed on Daimler commitment to sustainability throughout the Group with the addition of a signifi- cant further component,” said Grube in his opening address. With this event, the company is setting out to gain practical experience to further improve its sustain- STUTTGART – At the opening function Grube, member of the Board of Manage- ability performance. Thereto it is planned in Stuttgart, some 60 representatives ment with respon sibility for Corporate for the long term as a regular exchange of from the fields of industry, politics, and Development and for control of the “Cor- views with the Group’s stakeholders. It will society engaged in discussion with some porate Sustainability Board.” be held annually in future. of Daimler’s senior executives, including “With the Sustainability Dialogue, The participants discussed their sus- Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chair man of the Board Daimler has created a new platform for a tainability topics in three workshops. of Management of Daimler AG and Head more intensive and open exchange of Over the coming months, specific plans of of Mercedes-Benz Cars, and Dr. Rüdiger opinion. Daimler is thus extending its Continued on page 2 Editorial cance to this topic in the second half of In 2008, too, we have continued to 2008, at a time when the market environ- pursue our objective of economic, eco- ment has already been marked by a mas- logical, and social sustainability with sive decline in sales. Whatever 2009 has a wide range of measures, projects, in store for us, one thing is for certain: and innovative products – currently for Nothing will change the high priority that example through our conference on Daimler attaches to sustainability. “Diversity as an Economic Factor,” our It is no coincidence that we secured innovative “car2go” mobility concept, our sustainability management at Board of and the S 400 BlueHYBRID, the first Management level in 2008 with the found- serial hybrid model from a German ing of a “Sustainability Board,” thereby manufacturer. Dear readers, creating the basis for networking our You can find out more about all these For Daimler, sustainable economic man- diverse activities throughout the Group. topics in this issue of our “Daimler agement and business success are not At the same time, with the “Sustainability Sustainability Newsletter.” I wish you mutually exclusive. On the contrary: Dialogue” we have established a new dis- enlightening reading. Whoever intends to register profitable cussion forum to be staged annually with growth in the long term must reconcile national and international stakeholders. Dr. Dieter Zetsche ecological and societal objectives – and By this means, we intend to intensify open Chairman of the Board of not only during times of prosperity. We exchange on our sustainability strategy Management of Daimler AG and have also accorded appropriate signifi- with all interest groups in society. Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars 1 Daimler Sustainability Newsletter December 2008 The first Daimler Sustainability Environment Dialogue Continued from page 1 action are to be drawn up in cooperation Daimler Trucks North America with the participating groups. The “Daimler Sustainability Dialogue” delivers 230 natural gas trucks was initiated by the “Corporate Sustain- ability Board,” which Daimler established On December 8 this year, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) delivered more at Board of Management level early this than 230 new natural gas-powered tractor units as part of the “Clean Truck Program” year. The “Sustainability Board” groups to- initiated by Californian ports. gether the Group’s management functions in the three dimensions of sustainability: PORTLAND – At Long Beach Harbor, two million inhabitants of these two port economy, the environment, and society. DTNA handed over 132 vehicles to the regions are subject to considerable health The speeches delivered at the opening Cali fornia Cartage transport company. A risks. According to estimates by CARB, function can be downloaded at further 100 tractor units are in operation this gives rise to medical costs amount- www.daimler.com/sustainability. at the ports of Los Angeles and Long ing to between US$100 and 590 million Beach. One of the USA’s first and largest an nually. The two port areas have there- truck fleets with natural gas drive thus fore resolved to become the ‘greenest’ in +++ News +++ News +++ News +++ originates from Daimler Trucks North the USA. In the “Clean Truck Program” America. they are working together with CARB, +++ smart: the USA’s most econom - The launch of this almost zero-emission the Environmental Protection Agency ical car. In the USA, too, the smart truck fleet is an important step with in the (EPA), the Southern California Air Quality fortwo is the No. 1 car when it comes to publicly subsidized “Clean Truck Program” Management District (SCAQMD), and environmental compatibility and econ- initiated by the ports of Los Angeles and the private transport company California omy. The Environmental Protection Long Beach. With this program, old com- Cartage. This provider is building up a Agency (EPA) of the U.S. government mercial vehicles in the port areas with high low-emission vehicle fleet; in return, has set the fortwo at the top of its list pollutant emission levels are to be replaced more environment-friendly trucks are to of the most economical non-hybrid ve- by new, low-emission trucks. Daimler Truck be made more affordable. This will bene- hicles. It already meets the U.S. stan- Financial (DTF) was awarded the contract fit the more than 1,200 independent dards for fleet consumption to be intro- to be the preferred lender. DTF will finance haulers throughout the USA who drive for duced in 2020. +++ or lease trucks to owner operators and California Cartage. independent fleet companies based on The Sterling Set-Back 113 trucks were +++ Electromobility development customer creditworthiness and their ability modified during the production process plan. Daimler is playing a proactive role to meet port requirements. by Daimler for operation on natural gas. in shaping the German government’s Studies by the California Air Resources They are fitted out with Cummins West- National Electromobility Development Board (CARB) have shown that more than port ISL G engines. Plan. In late November, the Group con- tributed its experience in discussions at Environment the federal ministries’ strategic confer- ence. “We welcome the fact that the federal government is now including the topic of electromobility in its energy Daimler supports the first virtual and climate program,” said Daimler AG’s Chief Environmental Officer Pro- climate conference fessor Herbert Kohler. +++ “Climate 2008,” the world’s first online climate conference, was launched in early November this year. Contact/Masthead STUTTGART/HAMBURG – “There are of the online research conference was to Published by: Daimler Communications many conferences on climate change – provide information on new scientific find- Global Corporate Media & Marketing, but Climate 2008 is different!” It was un- ings relating to climate change, including External Publications der this motto that the Hamburg Univer- ecological, societal, economic, and politi- sity of Applied Sciences called the first cal aspects. It also presented worldwide Responsible on behalf of the publishers: Mirjam Bendak virtual conference into existence. Daimler projects and initiatives from the domain of Project manager: Matthias Steybe supported the event with its own discus- science and from government and non- Assistance: Mareike Jahnle sion forums and a live chat on the topic of government organizations. E-mail: [email protected] sustainable mobility. The patronage of this project, which “As an innovative enterprise, we design has been adopted by UNESCO into the The Daimler Sustainability Newsletter is published four times per year. our products and manufacturing pro - UN Decade of “Education for Sustainable cesses with as little impact on the envi- Development,” was assumed by federal Subscriptions to the Newsletter can be canceled at ronment as possible. Moreover, we wish education and research minister Annette the e-mail address [email protected] to further promote objective discussion on Schavan, the director of the UN environ- Further information is available at the causes and effects of climate change,” ment program Achim Steiner, and Prince www.daimler.com/sustainability said Professor Herbert Kohler, Chief Envi- Albert II of Monaco. ronmental Officer at Daimler AG. The aim 2 Daimler Sustainability Newsletter December 2008 Innovation How does car2go differ from the smart for 19 cents per minute familiar car pooling system? 1. There is no security deposit